Let's take a stroll around The places associated with Shinsengumi!
The places associated with Shinsengumi (Hino, Chohu, Mitaka, Fuchu, Machida)

HIJIKATA Toshizo (Courtesy of National Diet Library)

The vice chief of Shinsengumi, HIJIKATA Toshizo and the leader of the Rokubantai, INOUE Genzaburo, were born and grown up in current Hino City. HIJIKATA Toshizo was descended from the family of "Daijin" (provincial magnate) for generations in Ishidamura Village, Musashi Country, (current Ishida, Hino City). He recieved Kenjutsu (swordplay) training at the school of SATO Hikogoro, who was his brother-in-law.

INOUE Genzaburo was born to the INOUE Family of Hachioji Sennin Doshin (junior officials in Hachioji) at Hinoshuku (Hino Post Town), Kitahara, and with his elder brother Matsugoro joined the Tennenrishin-ryu School. OKITA Soji who was related to INOUE Family spent certain days at Hinoshuku.

Hinoshuku on Koshudo Highway is located 39.3km far from Nihonbashi, Edo City. Around the post town, with widespread riceproducing district, people enjoy the benefits of economic affluence. And they have the affirming with Shogunate, and also Kenjutsu was popular under the influence of Hachioji Sennin Doshin.

SATO Hikogoro, a dealer of Hinoshuku (in charge of post town), headman of Hino Hongo, became disciple of Tennenrishinryu School and opened Kenjutsu training hall at his house. As sword fighters who would organize Shinsengumi later began to have a relationship each other, it would be able to say that Shinsengumi started at Hinoshuku.

And more, wealthy farmers of Tama area supported both materially and spiritually activities of Shinsengumi. This support continued after they went to Kyoto.

Many letters and belongings of members of Shinsengumi remain in Tama area. That is because they wrote letters to supporters there to tell their energetic work at Kyoto.

Tama area including Hino City, have a lot of materials and places related to Shinsengumi, could be called Shinsengumi's home.

Main Hall of Yasaka-jinja Shrine

It was the So Chinju (the Grand Guardian Gods), also called Gozu-Tennosha Shrine. The Main Hall (Cultural property designated by Hino City), reconstructed in 1800, has the height of 9.1m, made of Zelkova, which was sculptured not only on veranda and walls, but also pillars, beams and balustrades. It is worth looking at.

This shrine has the Kegaku which were offered in 1858 by 23 members of Tennenrishin-ryu of Hinoshuku including SHIMAZAKI (KONDO) Isami, OKITA Sojiro (Soji), SATO Hikogoro, INOUE Matsugoro and Genzaburo. You can see this Kegaku in Shinsengumi Festival on May and in Reitaisai Festival on September.

INOUE Genzaburo Museum

This museum is opened by INOUE Matsugoro and Genzaburo's family, using the warehouse of their birthplace.

There are valuable articles which shows the circumstances in Kyoto and Mibu-Roshigumi (later Shinsengumi) when Matsugoro went to Kyoto for attendant for Shogun Iemochi. Also they exhibit many articles concerned with Shinsengumi, Hachioji Sennin Doshin, and Tennenrishin-ryu.

Site of Officially Sub-appointed Inn at Hinoshuku (Hino Post Town)

At the former Hinoshuku on Koshudo Highway, Honjin (officially appointed inn), and Waki Honjin (sub-honjin) were established side by side in the center of town. Daimyo (feudal lord), Hatamoto (lord of the Edo Shogunate), officials of Edo Shogunate stayed at Honjin, and Waki Honjin played a supplementary role. Honjin of Hinoshuku was residence of KAMISATO Family and Waki Honjin was those of SHIMOSATO Family, and both families served as headman of Hino Hongo and dealer of Hinoshuku. Although both Honjin and Waki Honjin burnt away in a great fire of 1849, Waki Honjin was reconstructed by SATO Hikogoro in 1864. It is the only Waki Honjin facilities which still remain without major alteration.

This building in gable roof with a traditional tiled roof is one of biggest buildings on Koshu-kaido Highway. It shows prestigious atmosphere with Shikidai entrance in Irimoya roof (gambrel roof) facing highway. However, SHIMOSATO Family had served as "Honjin" in a period of the late Edo period, so this building is designated as "Hinoshuku Honjin" Cultural property by Hino City.

SATO Hikogoro opened here the Tennenrishin-ryu Kenjutsu training hall, and HIJIKATA Toshizo, KONDO Isami and others gathering here, organized the Shinsengumi and worked actively.

SATO Hikogoro Shinsengumi Museum

This museum is managed by the family of SATO Hikogoro, who was the headman of Hino Hongo and also a wholesale dealer at Hinoshuku. Hikogoro, who had opened the Tennenrishinryu school Kenjutsu training hall in a corner of his house, supported the members of Shinsengumi going to a trip from here. They exhibit many letters and articles concerned with Shinsengumi's members, and so you can see that they have strong ties.

Shinsengumi Furusato History Museum

Exhibition room of Shinsengumi Furusato History Museum

The exhibit, which was opened in 2005, is on the theme of "Shinsengumi and Bakumatsu-Ishin (from the end of the Edo period through the Meiji Restoration)" and "Hinoshuku on the Koshudo Highway". For permanent exhibit "Shinsengumi, Shinchogumi and Hino" shows historical materials from the birth to the end of Shinsengumi. And special exhibitions are held. There is also a costume play corner to be a member of Shinsengumi.

Tokan Forest

This green area has a small shrine of Inari used be surrounded with a lot of Torreya, Mukutree, Wisteria and Holly trees, in the current days those trees were felled by decline and death except for the two big Torreyas. This area is called "Tokan", which means that the Chinese character of inari can read phonetically "Toka", or the 10 (To in Japanese) families have taken care of the shrine.

HIJIKATA Toshizo's birthplace was near here. When his family's house was almost washed away by a flood in 1864, the people of Ishida village and others came up to help, and they took away the main house and warehouse to move the current place of the HIJIKATA Toshizo museum.

Sekiden-ji Temple

This temple of Shingon Sect is located where Tamagawa River and Asakawa River join together. According to the history of temple, this temple was founded in 1361, but it was dilapidated momentarily. Afterward this temple became to be called Sekiden-ji with a Kannon statue which came floating down Tamagawa River in flood in 1544. This episode shows the characteristic of this area which was rice-producing district but was menaced by flood.

Although HIJIKATA Toshizo's family temple is Takahatasan Kongo-ji Temple (Takahata Fudo-son), he was buried in this Sekiden-ji Temple. So not only on May 11, anniversary of his death, many his fans visit his grave.

HIJIKATA Toshizo Museum

This museum on the site of HIJIKATA Toshizo's birthplace is managed by his family. They exhibit his born house reproduced in a model and 70 articles related to HIJIKATA including his helmet used in the Coupe of August 18 in 1863, and the habergeon used in the Ikedaya Incident, letters and so on.

Also, his favorite, "Izumi no Kami Kanesada" (Cultural Property designated by Hino City) which was forged in Kyoto in 1867, is exhibited here for a limited time.

Seated statue of KONDO Isami (Saiko-ji Temple)

KONDO Isami, the chief of Shinsengumi, was born as the third son of a wealthy farmer called MIYAGAWA Kyujiro. When he was 15 years old, he became a disciple of Tennenrishin-ryu School, directed by KONDO Shusuke, with his elder brother. And next year, he was adopted by Shusuke having been recognized for his talent. When he was 28 years old in 1861, he succeeded to the 4th head of Tennenrishin-ryu and held on the demonstration play at the Rokushogu Shrine.

In 1863, KONDO Isami joined Roshigumi which was organized for the guard of the 14th Shogun TOKUGAWA Iemochi's visit to Kyoto, with HIJIKATA Toshizo and YAMANAMI Keisuke and other disciples. Although many Roshi (masterless samurai) returned to Edo, KONDO Isami was left to be in charge of maintaining security of Kyoto City. It is well known that they were gained fames in Ikedaya Incident and others, and in 1867 he became Bakushin (shogun's retainer).

On January in 1868, after defeat at the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, he returned to Edo and organized the Koyo Chinbutai. On March they prayed to Kamiishiwara Wakamiya Hachimanjinja Shrine (3 Shimoishiwara, Chofu City) from the distant for the war's victory. The seated statue of KONDO Isami which was produced by local research organization of Shinsengumi, called "KONDO Isami-to Shinsengumi-no-Kai (Organization of KONDO Isami and Shinsengumi lovers)", is placed beside of Sanmon Gate (temple gate) of Saiko-ji Temple. After that the Koyo Chinbutai fought against the Army of the New Government, KONDO Isami surrendered to them and was executed at Itabashi, Edo City, at 35 years old. His nephew KONDO Yugoro buried him at Ryugen-ji Temple (6 Osawa, Mitaka City) located near his birthplace. At the graveyard of KONDO Family in Ryugen-ji Temple, there are graves of his step-brother KONDO Yugoro and his son, Kyugoro.

Reconstructed model of KONDO Isami's Birthplace

Site of KONDO Isami's Birthplace (Saiko-ji Temple)

KONDO Isami was born into MIYAGAWA Family, and their house stood at the crossroads of Hitomi-kaido Street and the street leading to Koganei, about 2.4 km north of Kamiishiwarajuku on Koshu-kaido Avenue. It has the main house, warehouse, private library, and barn in a total 7,000m². In the garden there were artificial hill and planted Zelkova and Oak around the house, Bamboo in back of a house. KONDO Isami's father MIYAGAWA Kyujiro, wealthy farmer, invited KONDO Shusuke, head of the Tennenrishin-ryu School, and provided the barn as Kenjutsu training hall. After Isami was adopted by Shusuke, this Kenjutsu training hall was so crowded with disciples.

In 1943, this house was destroyed because it disturbed fighter plane flying away from the Chofu Military Airport. Only a well, has been remained, which has been said that water of it was used for Isami's first bath when he was born. The Chofu Folk Museum exhibits the model of birthplace (scale 1:300,000) which was reproduced in collaboration with MIYAGAWA Family.

There is Kondo-jinja Shrine adjacent to the well, which was built by soldiers in Tokyo area in 1926. Also in front of this shrine, Kenjutsu training hall of the Tennenrishin-ryu School "Hatsuunkan" is located. "Hatsuunkan" opened in 1876 by Yugoro, Isami's son-in-law, has been said that it was named and calligraphed the signboard by YAMAOKA Tesshu.

KONDO Isami (Courtesy of National Diet Library)

Grave of KONDO Isami

The grave of KONDO Isami is located in Osawazan Ryugenji Temple, in Osawa, Mitaka City, which is on Hitomi-kaido Avenue, 1km east from Tama Station of SeibuTamagawa Line. In front of the temple gate, there is a bust of KONDO Isami with Roku Jizo (six Ksitigarbhas) and Koshinto pagoda, and the KONDO Family's graveyard is in back of the Main hall. He was active as the chief of Shinsengumi and became Bakushin (shogun's retainer) from a farmer, however he caught by the Army of the New Government and executed at Itabashi.

His nephew KONDO Yugoro buried him at Ryugen-ji Temple located near his birthplace.

In this graveyard, there is his grave among 5 graves of his family. On this grave in thin and narrow cubic shape, inscription of "grave of KONDO Isami" was engraved. There is also a stone monument with his death haiku and putting on a notebook with words and illustrations of praise by his fans, from which we can still know his popularity not to decline.

A famous Japanese novel, "Moeyo Ken" by SHIBA Ryotaro, which is about the life of HIJIKATA Toshizo, starts with the festival of this Okunitama-jinja Shrine. Also KONDO Isami succeeded to the 4th master of Tennnen Rishin Ryu School (a school of swordplay) and his demonstrated match was held on this shrine in 1861.

Main Hall ofOkunitama-jinja Shrine

Okunitama-jinja Shrine used to be called "Rokusho-gu" (6shrines), and worshiped as a guardian deity of Musashi Province.

In order to enshrine nine gods included with Okunitama no Okami, six kami (gods) and so on, the main hall of the Okunitama-jinja Shrine is wide and unique, which is jointed the three of buildings with San (3)-gensha Nagare Style (an architecture style of three-bay wide structure with a gable roof), so-called Kyu(9)-kensha Nagare Style or Aidono Style. Now, Okunitama no Okami is enshrined in the central building, other 6 gods are in the east and west.

However, the map of 1606 shows the individual three main buildings, and another record said these buildings were destroyed by the fire in 1646. We consider that the buildings were reconstructed in this present style after the fire. The total length of ridge is about 14m and the height reaches about 9m, vermillionlacquered. The roof had been covered with Hiwadabuki(cypress bark roof) before, and have changed into the copperplate at the end of the Edo period.

These buildings are also a precious example of construction ordered by Shogunate.

KOJIMA Shikanosuke, the headman of Onoji-mura Village at the end of Edo period, became a disciple of Tennenrishin-ryu School the third leader KONDO Shusuke. KONDO Isami who succeeded to Shusuke, taught Kenjutsu at the training hall in KOJIMA Family's house. Shikanosuke took a pledge of brotherhood with KONDO Isami and SATO Hikogoro, headman of Hinoshuku, and supported Shinsengumi. So, many letters and articles concerned with Shinsengumi remain at KOJIMA Family.